https://www.siriahutchinson.co.uk/home daily 1.0 2026-02-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/1769425727546-ER5IM080G19LHZ00X75K/unsplash-image-peTt3DTUhMQ.jpg https://www.siriahutchinson.co.uk/lighting daily 0.75 2026-02-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/28b49ba5-974d-4ff4-8c52-2f39abfcedc7/PXL_20211206_085959840.jpg Lighting I’ve always been a hands on learner - even in year 8 I found our graveyard of old lights, and took it upon myself to figure out how they worked. I really enjoyed getting hands on and being able to distinguish different parts of the light, such as the yolk and the lens. This hands on approach sticks with me even to this day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/eabe7af8-91fe-4e35-8a9b-f1d956cecd3d/PXL_20241015_094815181.MP.jpg Lighting In college, I didn't have as many opportunities to play around with lighting, but I did find my times — for example, whilst setting up for a gig, I played around with lighting the cyclorama, and the effects you could create with backlighting. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/6a8259b9-28f0-4883-ba6a-1a62b6d801f5/IMG_20230503_135151.jpg Lighting When I walk away from a production, one of the things I think about the most is the lighting design. This production of 'An Inspector Calls' at the Lyceum Theatre in Sheffield really cleverly had a child come on stage at the beginning with a torch, which illuminted the curtain as they tried to get through — eloquently describing the class dynamics in the piece. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/67c7d396-a6e4-462a-90be-799649a16a70/20240211_151606.jpg Lighting Whilst stage managing a dance festival, I had the wonderful opportunity to shadow the lighting designer/engineer during breaks and lunches. I had the great opportunity to learn to a basic extent how to use the Joker TLXtra. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/52f60d56-f3d6-4945-9b20-29e3ee790d10/20240425_084231.jpg Lighting During sixth form, I had experience designing and programming my A-level work using a FLX S-48 lighting desk. This gave me hands on experience actually creating lighting design concepts and translating it into an actual show, rather than just turning lights on and off. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/49792cc0-f5fa-4977-bd22-0f3c6b14fb08/PXL_20250213_141623227.jpg Lighting Also in college, I had the opportunity at the end of the year show to tutor some of my classmates in how to use the lighting desk. Here is a photo from when they were playing around with different colours together, as well as different angles of lights. I had the opportunity to teach them how to use the lighting desk from scratch. It was an amazing experience to see their joy as they learnt. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/f4dd1ab2-5e6e-46de-9552-28594b08f2fe/20240515_201633.jpg Lighting I also really enjoy looking at the lighting rigs when I go to shows, and trying to figure out what exactly each light in the rig is doing - which ones are for front light, vs back light, and so on. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/d648a0da-8751-4df2-b496-a41d88b98254/20240211_151610.jpg Lighting During this time, I also had the opportunity to learn how to use Vista by ChromaQ, which is the system that Dronfield Civic Centre uses to control their lighting. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/14ae6456-5cb0-4430-908b-13dbaef81c0f/20240513_145154+%281%29.jpg Lighting Sixth form is also where I learnt to meticulously name my cues so that anybody is able to look at my show and operate it if needs be. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/1fb6c27b-d230-4411-8617-e17ae124490c/PXL_20250213_153108701.jpg Lighting Here is another photo of my classmate learning to use the lighting desk - here they were playing around with trying to use multiple spots to light one person fully - from the front, and the sides. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/f62be5ce-96ee-442f-9a2f-04ec6039549f/20240524_205510.jpg Lighting I had the great honour when I went to see a show at the Winding Wheel in Chesterfield to be shown what lighting desk they used — an ETC Ion, and the technician was kind enough to show me what certain parts of it did. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/ae17dfe2-59bc-4270-b8ca-c17fb06550b4/PXL_20241127_141543713.MP.jpg Lighting I love to find ways to practice lighting when I'm out and about, and one of the amazing opportunities I had was at the Science and Industry museum in Manchester, where you can practice colour mixing. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/233827b8-51af-4899-8136-4c315f6e7b69/Snapchat-176084178.jpg Lighting In sixth form, I also experimented with different colour lights, and how it would react with other things. For example, here I was using blue and green lights primarily to see how it would react with the blue trousers my friend was wearing, as well as with the light emitted by the electric candles they were holding. Noticeably, I figured out that the light emitted by the candles looked very orange, which is what I would expect. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/aa576486-2e05-4209-8eac-89d6e8305b8e/Screenshot_20240719_132849_Photos.png Lighting The lighting on the tour of Hairspray that I viewed at the Palace Theatre in Manchester was really intriguing to me — it used big sweeping colourful lights to immediately remind you that you weren't actually there. It almost reminded me of a TV show - which is a key part of Hairspray, with the 'Corny Collins Show' being a setting for a large part of the show. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/b37c5e25-3acf-4fb3-8749-922c0c808d5a/PXL_20241127_141604301.MP.jpg Lighting They had three LEDs on the roof - a red, blue and green, so you could see what colours you could make! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/38106322-7a9f-4625-a87a-6620f270724a/Snapchat-242401805.jpg Lighting This was another time I was experimenting with colour. This time, I used a deep blue, and only that blue. I found that the candle lights appeared a much whiter colour, and that my friend's shirt turned blue. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/6c36ec49-9c35-4b20-aa9d-3e72839f3930/PXL_20241126_195812816.MP.jpg Lighting The lighting for Bilmuri when they opened for Sleep Token at Co-Op Live in Manchester was magnificent. I hadn't seen a concert like this before, so it was really intriguing to me to see the use of lights, and how it really elevated the music , with lighting changes often happening on beat. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/c4b9a729-36b2-420d-8802-157ed98035fe/PXL_20241214_144339435.jpg Lighting Additionally, when I was working on Far Out Theatre's 'Treasure Island', I was the only technician at one venue. I was therefore tasked not only with the sound, but also with the lighting using a Joker Zero88. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/7ed8dc51-8ae0-46eb-a5ad-be13e864dbcc/PXL_20241126_201538677.MP.jpg Lighting Another part of the lighting at the Bilmuri opening show. I really enjoyed the use of colour in this, and how it spread out in rays. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/20187a39-3e85-4f1b-adfa-2256fa440867/PXL_20250208_132822946.MP.jpg Lighting I also got the opportunity to rig a lighting rig for the dance festival I volunteered with, successfully directing a three person crew (myself and two others) to get the rig up and running within a short time frame. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/5dea3255-8d47-416e-9456-d31a2e008bf2/PXL_20241126_222145601.MP.jpg Lighting And one more, but from the main act Sleep Token this time. I had no idea how they accomplished this look, with the almost fans of light shining out, but it's a look I have aspired to ever since I first saw it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/88c619be-9006-4d11-aff1-6c3f7fbb47df/PXL_20250301_155416245.MP.jpg Lighting The production of Pig Heart Boy at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield — I adored how they incorporated so many lights throughout the set, and how they would pulse in time just like a heart would. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/65080b51-ebc8-4836-9666-7267b034c18b/PXL_20250313_101742619.MP.jpg Lighting The production of 'A Streetcar Named Desire' at The Crucible Theatre in Sheffield. The lighting in this production was really cleverly used during Blanche's worst moments, really pulling you into it with her. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/f06efe90-e655-46cc-947a-d839a1a26b96/PXL_20250521_172603096.jpg Lighting Starlight Express at the Troubadour Theatre in London — I loved how they used lighting from the get-go to really immerse you into the world of Starlight Express. The use of all the discoballs and blue and purple lights creates a whimsical feeling immediately. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/a93e2958-e571-4ad0-a8f9-3f5b030128de/PXL_20250521_180842730.jpg Lighting Starlight Express at the Troubadour Theatre in London — they have moving heads in each of the 'carriage' sections of seating that rise up during races to create an intense feeling, with lights moving quickly. https://www.siriahutchinson.co.uk/sound daily 0.75 2026-02-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/69742761-76a4-405e-aa72-92243282a160/PXL_20241102_171935104.jpg Sound I had the amazing opportunity to run sound for the group 'Far Out Theatre' during their Treasure Island pantomime. Whilst they previously used Windows Media Player, I discovered a new system called Multiplay which I integrated into their work flow. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/46de42ae-5701-4c08-af4f-70b5c7959752/PXL_20251108_192649737.jpg Sound I had the amazing opportunity in November of 2025 to shadow the sound department of the international tour of Moulin Rouge. This picture was taken whilst I was shadowing the front of house plot, where I got to witness the head of sound mixing the show, and it was fascinating to see how he worked. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/b019c5e1-aa1d-4373-8673-d3c25bf932cd/20240620_112656.jpg Sound At college, I've had the opportunity to learn how to use the X-32 mixer, from basics like muting/unmuting to other things such as doing cues through the board. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/3cdad8f2-c67c-4bd7-ab99-42582c0f40b0/FB_IMG_1753200219343.jpg Sound This picture was taken whilst I was troubleshooting the microphones during the panto when they wouldn't work. I was working alongside a house technician to figure out what went wrong. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/81f4d512-fb95-4283-9975-997a7cfd8c1b/PXL_20251108_222458139.MP.jpg Sound I also got to shadow the backstage plot where I was able to witness the pre-show, getting to mic everyone up, as well as seeing what the sound department does during the show other than just mixing. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/e4298d9e-9f23-4a6c-9109-30f1a0e9666c/PXL_20241003_090024666.jpg Sound One of the things I have learnt is how to adjust frequencies, which I really struggled with at first. But over time, I've figuerd out how to identify which frequencies to cut to reduce the amount of feedback. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/ba88174c-0582-4d9e-a614-b487b0b6ff08/PXL_20241207_210639825.MP.jpg Sound This was taken mid-show, as I mixed the show and operated the effects tracks via my laptop. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/eee73480-ec43-49f9-8a0b-9d84f057f263/Snapchat-135988648.jpg Sound This is a picture that was taken of me whilst I was testing a QLab file, which is another software that I have a lot of experience with. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/9ab03143-b1f1-4d0d-a2c8-98c8a9daa575/PXL_20241207_205406864.jpg Sound This was also taken mid-show whilst I was operating the microphones and the SFX. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/1439c7ef-2f56-4cb4-b30b-307ed6b4bae1/PXL_20250929_085756974.jpg Sound In 2025, I got the experience to finally use microphones. This was amazing, as I learnt how to test them, soundcheck them, and troubleshoot mid show. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/62f4a1d2-63cd-4fa3-91b4-6b7f9b9d0d9f/PXL_20251014_175243283.jpg Sound I also got the amazing opportunity to speak to the head of sound when I watched The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe in Sheffield. It was brilliant to hear about some of the different ways they micced up the different interviews. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/b9211dbe-485b-4659-936c-4792ea6e4de2/PXL_20250929_085813204.jpg Sound I even got to learn to some extent how to use the rack units, which was something I'd always struggled with. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/7716ea4c-5a3a-4cff-b30f-10748576cd7f/PXL_20260107_204825271.jpg Sound I really enjoy getting the opportunity to look at different setups for sound and trying to figure out what different parts of the set-up are. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/46e1defd-a1f4-475f-ae03-38c36ad4df9f/PXL_20241219_143015863.jpg Sound A picture of the settings for one of the microphones. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/fb37e5f5-20f0-4e54-abf2-d739e009e460/PXL_20251118_144743782.jpg Sound Another software I have gotten the chance to use, although not as much as some of the others, is Logic. I have used this mainly to add effects to sound tracks, as well as seperate the stems to remove vocals from backing tracks. I've also used this for adjustments to volume that were too great for QLab to deal with. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/d67e41da-2271-4ee5-abc6-d6a6010f4c1f/20240710_112059.jpg Sound Whenever I'm out and about, I do my best to find any opportunity to practice my sound skills. This was at the Science & Industry museum in Manchester, where I could practice mixing different vocals and tracks. https://www.siriahutchinson.co.uk/stage-management daily 0.75 2026-02-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/24e352b8-b61b-46ce-952a-0fa1bd4eb72c/IMG_20231029_150957.jpg Stage Management I was asked by my musical theatre group to help as a stage manager at their dance festival, which is something that I did for two years. I was in charge of the backstage area, ensuring that all dancers were in the right place at the right time, and had everything that they needed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/59f0887c-64f2-4b97-a1cf-9669cc9a4d18/PXL_20250422_131733386.MP.jpg Stage Management I had the amazing opportunity to DSM for 'Chaos' at the Sheffield College. I was in charge of calling the show, including LX, SFX, set and even some props cues. It was hard work, but it was really interesting. The show had a lot of really complex sequences. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/77dd98c7-274f-44ed-8490-d87c9d803b06/20240210_134330.jpg Stage Management During the next festival, I also was given a radio, where I would communicate with FOH and tech. My role as a stage manager was to ensure everything was running smoothly, and that everyone knew what was happening. This also included lots of running around when the radios would cut out! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/fafd6121-0df3-4098-993e-43646132275b/PXL_20250501_092956907.jpg Stage Management This was one of my script pages, in one of the hardest scenes to call. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/933792f8-e057-41ae-8cc5-f5dd222b4268/20240211_170727.jpg Stage Management Later in the festival, I was also asked to announce each act as it went on stage, alongside my other duties. This added another layer which really taught me how to multitask. Thank god it was wireless, as one announcement was made from outside the building! https://www.siriahutchinson.co.uk/portfolio-home daily 0.75 2026-03-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/1770417272616-YV5BUG8RARBHZ9M2R2BV/unsplash-image-8XxF2kYHIgo.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/1770417307085-U66C6OXREGWJN6PN59G8/unsplash-image-S1F7lKye4IA.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/1770417289670-S2L6HKHZFSWTOWC6POKB/unsplash-image-zRDoTgjDvCc.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/69773d9b1bc0d510871b1a71/1772799200343-S60PY23FV1V9HFRY0U9Q/unsplash-image-OQMZwNd3ThU.jpg https://www.siriahutchinson.co.uk/written-review-1 daily 0.75 2026-03-06 https://www.siriahutchinson.co.uk/written-review-2 daily 0.75 2026-03-06